First Trailer and New Images for NEED FOR SPEED Starring Aaron Paul, Dominic Cooper, and Imogen Poots [UPDATED]

DreamWorks has released the first trailer for director Scott Waugh’s (Act of Valor) video game adaptation Need for Speed. The film chronicles a cross-country race against time as a blue-collar mechanic (Aaron Paul) who was framed for manslaughter by a wealthy, arrogant ex-NASCAR driver (Dominic Cooper) sets out for revenge in a high-stakes underground racing tournament. Judging by the trailer, Need for Speed is almost the opposite of what I expected. I assumed it would simply try to rival the Fast & Furious movies, and instead it looks far more dramatic. There’s no rule that an adaptation of a video game can’t be serious, and the car stuff looks good. Consider me interested.

Hit the jump to watch the trailer. The film also stars Imogen Poots, Kid Cudi, Ramon Rodriguez, Rami Malek, Harrison Gilbertson, Dakota Johnson,and Michael Keaton. Need for Speed opens in theaters on March 14, 2014. [Update: DreamWorks has released two new images from the film, which are now included after the jump.]

Based on the most successful racing video game franchise ever with over 140 million copies sold, DreamWorks Pictures’ “Need for Speed” captures the thrills of the game in a real-world setting. An exciting return to the great car-culture films of the 1960s and ’70s, when authenticity brought a new level of intensity to the action, “Need for Speed” taps into what makes the American myth of the open road so enticing.

The story chronicles a near-impossible cross-country race against time—one that begins as a mission for revenge, but proves to be one of redemption. In a last attempt to save his struggling garage, blue-collar mechanic Tobey Marshall (Aaron Paul)—who with his team skillfully builds and races muscle cars on the side—reluctantly partners with wealthy, arrogant ex-NASCAR driver Dino Brewster (Dominic Cooper). Just as a major sale to car broker Julia Bonet (Imogen Poots) looks like it will save the business, a disastrous, unsanctioned race results in Dino framing Tobey for manslaughter.

Two years later and fresh out of prison, Tobey is set on revenge with plans to take down Dino in the high-stakes De Leon race—the Super Bowl of underground racing. To get there in time, Tobey must run a high-octane, action-packed gauntlet, dodging cops coast-to-coast and dealing with fallout from a dangerous bounty Dino put on his car. With his loyal crew and the surprisingly resourceful Julia as allies, Tobey defies odds at every turn and proves that even in the flashy world of exotic supercars, the underdog can still finish first.